Could This Rash Be From A Glutening? (Photo)

[LundqvistSaves]

Hello!

After a year of constant sickness and stumping 4 gastroenterolists, I was finally diagnosed with a rare parasite. Needless to say, my GI is all messed up and I am slowly healing. Upon my many hours of trying to find a diagnosis online (since I seemed to lose hope in modern medicine), eventually it was suggested that I may be gluten intolerant.

One symptom I noticed when I wasn't yet strict on my gluten-free diet were these random welts that I would discover every other week. It seemed like only one would form and then dissolve, then maybe I'd get another one two weeks later. They were incredibly itchy, and honestly I had always thought it was just a spider bite. I went back on a gluten-free diet and they seemed to go away. I thought maybe it was due to gluten, but i'd eat gluten occasionally and it wouldn't happen sometimes.

I've been totally gluten-free for 2 months now. Now on Tuesday, I broke out on the left side of my neck, left forearm and left finger in a whole bunch together -- probably 12-15 total (most I've had at once was 2). I went to the doctor and he seemed confused and diagnosed it as shingles (because they are all just on one side of my body). He said he was "95% sure", despite the fact that I have no pain at all, no sick feelings, and absolutely no blistering which are all symptoms of shingles. The only thing I can think of was I had toasted some bread in a toaster oven the day before the bumps broke out. There is a possibility of cross contamination, but just a few days earlier than that I had done the exact same thing and had no problems at all.

I was wondering if anyone has experienced these symptoms. I added photos, I'm sorry that they are so gross. I was hoping someone would recognize the same type of rash. I honestly don't think it's shingles, but the doctor was confident that it was since it's only on one side of my body. Any suggestions?

Thank You!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/jasonstangelo/photo.webp

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y90/jasonstangelo/photo-2.webp

Look familiar to anyone?

[SMDBill]

I haven't had skin problems like that from gluten, but I have had similar skin reactions for other reasons. As a teenager I used to get embarrassing hives. They broke out on my side, my upper arms, neck and lips. My lip would swell as if I'd been hit in it. It usually pointed back to stress or excitement, but now that my doctor suspects I may have been celiac my whole life it does make me question what caused them. Have you tried something like Benadryl to see if it improves the bumps any? If it does then it may not be celiac related, but if no improvement is seen it would surely be something non-allergy or non-stress. I wish I could help more, but I do hope you find a quick answer...and don't share toasters!!!

[LundqvistSaves]

  On 11/8/2012 at 12:35 PM, SMDBill said:

I haven't had skin problems like that from gluten, but I have had similar skin reactions for other reasons. As a teenager I used to get embarrassing hives. They broke out on my side, my upper arms, neck and lips. My lip would swell as if I'd been hit in it. It usually pointed back to stress or excitement, but now that my doctor suspects I may have been celiac my whole life it does make me question what caused them. Have you tried something like Benadryl to see if it improves the bumps any? If it does then it may not be celiac related, but if no improvement is seen it would surely be something non-allergy or non-stress. I wish I could help more, but I do hope you find a quick answer...and don't share toasters!!!

Thanks for responding! I've never gotten hives before so I'm not sure if this could be them. I have taken Benadryl for the last two days and it doesn't seem to help much, but it sure does knock me out lol. It's Day Three and they are still so itchy. And yes, definitely no more shared toasters!

[SMDBill]

I'd say if the Benadryl didn't help they sure aren't hives. Plus they don't last that long normally. Hopefully someone will come along with a bit better insight into what it could be.

[sisterlynr]

  On 11/8/2012 at 6:06 AM, LundqvistSaves said:

Hello!

After a year of constant sickness and stumping 4 gastroenterolists, I was finally diagnosed with a rare parasite. Needless to say, my GI is all messed up and I am slowly healing. Upon my many hours of trying to find a diagnosis online (since I seemed to lose hope in modern medicine), eventually it was suggested that I may be gluten intolerant.

One symptom I noticed when I wasn't yet strict on my gluten-free diet were these random welts that I would discover every other week. It seemed like only one would form and then dissolve, then maybe I'd get another one two weeks later. They were incredibly itchy, and honestly I had always thought it was just a spider bite. I went back on a gluten-free diet and they seemed to go away. I thought maybe it was due to gluten, but i'd eat gluten occasionally and it wouldn't happen sometimes.

I've been totally gluten-free for 2 months now. Now on Tuesday, I broke out on the left side of my neck, left forearm and left finger in a whole bunch together -- probably 12-15 total (most I've had at once was 2). I went to the doctor and he seemed confused and diagnosed it as shingles (because they are all just on one side of my body). He said he was "95% sure", despite the fact that I have no pain at all, no sick feelings, and absolutely no blistering which are all symptoms of shingles. The only thing I can think of was I had toasted some bread in a toaster oven the day before the bumps broke out. There is a possibility of cross contamination, but just a few days earlier than that I had done the exact same thing and had no problems at all.

I was wondering if anyone has experienced these symptoms. I added photos, I'm sorry that they are so gross. I was hoping someone would recognize the same type of rash. I honestly don't think it's shingles, but the doctor was confident that it was since it's only on one side of my body. Any suggestions?

Thank You!

http://i3.photobucke...ngelo/photo.webp

http://i3.photobucke...elo/photo-2.webp

Look familiar to anyone?

I have had Shingles and they are painful and itchy. Mine appeared as a cluster of pox like lesions and spread down a nerve run. I can't imagine your rash being Shingles w/o pain. I have seen Shingles on other people that resembled your photos but they too had pain, soreness, itch. Your doctor could be right. . . hmmmm